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How ’bout them Jets: Darrelle Revis Trade Edition

January 25, 2013

Just three weeks after closing out maybe the most highly-publicized 6-10 season ever, the New York Jets got right back to doing what they do best: creating headlines without winning football games.

This time, the Jets stirred up a media ruckus when rumors started swirling that their best player, cornerback Darrelle Revis, the nigh-undisputed most talented player at his position last year until he tore his ACL, might be available for trade.

Revis has one year left on his contract with the Jets, and even though the Jets captain has hinted previously at being a Jet for life, the fact remains that winning is good, and the Jets, with a holey roster, two quarterbacks who can’t throw, and a head coach who somehow still has his job after dropping four of six to close out a laughably sad year, are due for a lot more losing before some winning happens.

But Revis is owed $6 million next year, any new deal will most likely be contingent on whether Jets owner Woody Johnson is willing to make Revis the highest-paid cornerback in the league–which, it must be said, would be perfectly reasonable. Johnson wouldn’t be able to assign Revis the franchise tag next offseason.

Yesterday when Revis heard the rumors, he tweeted:

I’m speechless by far but more importantly I feel more upset for the jet nation for having to go through this!!!

Unfortunately for them, other NFL are telling the the Jets, “nah, no takebacks.” One NFL GM told CBS Sports today, “There’s a Revis gold rush forming.”

Apparently, other teams also regard Revis as the best cornerback in the league, too, and for that reason, there’s going to be heated competition to sign the 27-year-old, three-time All-Pro to their roster. One general manager likened it to the Peyton Manning race last year.

Per Mike Freeman at CBS:

Sources say one of the teams highly interested is the New England Patriots, but not even the Jets, who have made some screwy decisions over the years, would trade Revis to the division-rival Patriots and, in the process, hand them a Super Bowl.

Other teams highly interested, I’m told, are Denver, San Francisco, Buffalo (not happening — division rival), and even Seattle, which already has some of the best defensive backs in the game. One team also constantly mentioned by league sources is Green Bay, though the Packers, possessors of one of the best front offices in all of sports, usually don’t give up high-round picks.